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Tips and advice for travelling with a dog

Planning a lengthy car journey with your dog? Then to make the trip safe and enjoyable for all involved, you’ll need to make sure you have the right equipment, as well as a positive attitude. Here’s our tips and advice for car travel with dogs…

Before you leave home

Before you set off on your car journey, you must ensure that you have all you need to keep your pooch happy and healthy whilst on the road. This includes:

Lead, collar and identification tag. If your dog was to get loose miles away from home, and without any form of identification, you’ll have a tough job getting him back.

Food and water. You’ll need to fetch plenty of dog food with you on your trip, as well as water. Don’t risk changing to food that your dog doesn’t normally eat, as this – combined with the motion of the car – can upset his sensitive digestive system.

Bring blankets with you to use as bedding for your dog. They’ll provide him with much-needed comfort whilst kipping outside of the house, and can provide warmth in cold weather too.

Old towels or washcloths. These can be helpful for wiping your dog’s muddy paws and making sure that your car’s interiors aren’t decorated with a series of dirty dog pawprints!

Invest in a dog crate

Whilst it’s true that many dogs do enjoy hanging their heads out of the car window with their ears flapping in the wind, it isn’t a good idea to let them do this. Even if your canine companion isn’t any trouble during car journeys, he still shouldn’t roam free within the vehicle. Not only could your dog be injured in an accident, but he could also be the cause of one. Dog crates are ideal for travelling in the car, keeping your dog safe and secure during transit.

There are many dog crates available on the market, but it’s important to choose one that’s large enough for your dog to stand up and turnaround in. On the other hand, there shouldn’t be so much room that he can slide around according to the car’s movements. The crate you buy should be fixed securely in place throughout the journey.

Make frequent stops

Spending hours and hours on the road might be fun for you, but chances are your dog probably isn’t up for it. Being contained and restrained in your car for so long can sour your pooch’s mood, ensuring that the journey isn’t fun for anyone. Therefore, plan to make regular stops so that he can go to the toilet and burn off a bit of energy. You can rest assured that he’ll be a happier traveller as a result. However, make sure that your dog is on his lead when you let him out of the car, as there’s always the risk that he will escape, even it’s not in his nature.

With the right equipment and some forward planning, you can ensure that travelling with a dog is fun and stress-free. So next time you hit the road, there’s no need to leave your much-loved canine companion at home – take him along for the ride!